• The Rangers were defeated by the Florida Panthers, 4-3, tonight at Madison Square Garden, and are now 29-20-3 overall with a 12-11-2 mark at home. New York is now 10-6-1 in their last 17 games at MSG, and enter the NHL All-Star break having registered a point in 24 of their last 37 games (22-13-2).

• Compared to last season, the Rangers have registered five more wins and six more points through 52 games, having tallied 13 more goals while allowing 15 fewer goals against.

• Mats Zuccarello was involved in each of the Rangers’ three goals, recording a career-high, three assists in 19:35 of ice time. He has now registered seven points (two goals, five assists) in the last seven games. Zuccarello is tied for second on the team in scoring with 11 points (three goals, eight assists) since originally joining the team on December 23.

• Brian Boyle notched a power play goal at 3:05 of the third period to extend his scoring streak to three games (two goals, one assist over the span), and has now registered five points (four goals, one assist) in the last seven contests. He was also credited with a team-high, five hits, and leads the team with 18 goals and 154 hits.

• Derek Stepan tallied the Rangers’ first goal of the game at 2:17 of the second period, and registered four shots on goal in 18:20 of ice time. He has now recorded 25 points (11 goals, 14 assists) in the last 36 games, including six points (two goals, four assists) in the last seven contests.

• Brandon Prust registered a goal at 1:14 of the third period, and has now recorded four points (two goals, two assists) in the last seven games. The Rangers are 13-5-0 when he registers a point.

• Marian Gaborik recorded the primary assist on Boyle’s power play goal, and registered four shots on goal in 21:30 of ice time. He has now tallied seven points (five goals, two assists) in the last five games, including a point (one goal, one assist) in each of the last two games.

• Michael Sauer tallied the primary assist on Prust’s third period goal, and was credited with two blocked shots in 22:34 of ice time. He has now registered two assists in the last three games. Sauer also finished the contest with a plus-one rating, and has now posted a plus or even rating in 32 of the last 42 games (plus-seven over the span).

• Wojtek Wolski recorded the primary assist on Stepan’s second period goal, and registered four shots on goal in 17:46 of ice time. He has now tallied seven points (three goals, four assists) in nine games as a Ranger, including six points (two goals, four assists) in the last six contests.

• Henrik Lundqvist made 13 saves in net, and has now posted a record of 21-16-3 overall with an 8-8-2 mark at home. It is only the second time in his last 13 games that Lundqvist has allowed more than three goals.

• Matt Gilroy led all skaters with a season-high, five shots on goal in 23:47 of ice time. He has now skated in each of the last 12 games, and has logged 20-plus minutes of ice time in each of the last three contests.

• Marc Staal was credited with a team-high, three blocked shots, and logged a game-high, 26:02 of ice time.

• New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced tonight that forwards Vinny Prospal and Ryan Callahan have been activated from Injured Reserve, while the following players have been assigned to the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League (AHL) – forwards Brodie Dupont, Evgeny Grachev, Chad Kolarik, and Kris Newbury, and defenseman Michael Del Zotto.

• Following the NHL All-Star break, the Rangers will return to action when they face-off against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday, Feb. 1, at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m.). The game will be televised live on Versus and can be heard on 1050 ESPN Radio and newyorkrangers.com.

POST-GAME QUOTES

John Tortorella on staying consistent… “You have to and they (the players) do too. They need to accept the responsibility. When they see they get to a level of play at a pretty consistent manner they have to continue to stay there and also get better I think that’s what has happened with a number of our young guys and Brian (Boyle) is leading the way. He continues to try and get better and that’s what I like about the club. The foundation continues to mature and continues to try and get better. They have the right attitude about trying to get better each and every night.”

Marc Staal on tonight’s game… “I thought we did a great job getting back into the game. To tie it up was huge and they throw one on net again and it went in but sometimes that’s just the way the game works.”

Henrik Lundqvist on players returning from injury… “It’s going to be a good feeling to see a lot of guys back when we start again. There are some key guys out. It’s always a different feeling when you’re missing that many guys, but at the same time we have some guys coming up who have been doing a great job for us. I think we’ve done a pretty good job. We’ve been fighting a lot and trying to get points every night.”

So, I may have lost a step or two but, I thought I played solid game tonight and the team followed my lead. I was showing Zuccarello how to pass the puck like that at practice; he’d still be a little sh*t in the AHL if it wasn’t for me. Sorry for the language, I heard Torts call him that and now its his new nickname. As far as my influence on young players, the same thing goes for Stepan, he’d be back at Wisconsin losing to BU if it wasn’t for me! I told youse Gillie would be a good player . That is because he went to BU, where I went!

So, Rangers in 60 starts at 11:16, huh? WTB?

See youse guys soon. I have to get back to CT. It’s Pepperoni night at Colony. Come one, come all!

I posted in this in the other comment section but I thought it was pretty funny so I’ll repeat myself. Al Trautwig was interviewing Lundquist right after the game and asked him about giving up the goal in the 3rd period on the only shot the Panthers had all period. Lundquist, pissed, states, “It wasn’t their only shot, the guy who counts them is probably drunk again.” He’s usually such a nice guy I was taken back but after losses he’s always irritated. It was funny.